Santos Virgilio

Santos, 42, is married and has two children. He’s a very hardworking, honest, service-oriented, responsible person. He works in agriculture growing corn and sorghum and also works selling animals. He’s been working since the age of 20 since his father taught him to grow corn and as he grew he learned how to buy and sell animals. He gradually obtained more experience growing crops and selling animals. Later he got married and formed a family consisting of two children, a 10-year-old boy and a 6-year-old girl; his son is attending school and his wife takes care of the household chores. Today he works selling cattle and pigs. He and another person buy the animals and this is how he provides his home with daily sustenance where his wife and children wait for him.

In order to buy the animals he must travel to the nearest street market either on foot or by bus. The distance he must travel from his house to the market is 10 kilometers to one of them and the other one is 20 kilometers away. Once the animals are purchased he herds them home along the highway until he reaches his house.

The loan he’s asking Fundación Campo for is to buy some animals and also to pay off a pending loan he has. The need that will be met is the purchase of the animals since this is his source of support for his family because what he earns from agriculture isn’t very much but he doesn’t stop planting in order to have a little corn to eat. By selling the animals when they are fat he will earn higher income that will make it possible for him to pay many things like electricity and to buy shoes and clothes among other basic things for his family.

In future he plans to repair the roof at home because the wood that holds up the roof is a bit deteriorated and he intends to do it before winter passes.

Additional Information

About CrediCampo

This loan is administered by CrediCampo, a Kiva Field Partner in El Salvador. CrediCampo seeks to improve the lives of rural communities and their families in areas including health, education, basic services, and infrastructure. Through its Community Development Unit, CrediCampo provides scholarships, leadership development training, and financial education programs for families in rural areas. CrediCampo’s work is crucial in addressing the issue of poverty in El Salvador. Based on 2009 estimates, 37.8% of the population lives below the poverty line. To learn more about CrediCampo and their work, visit their partner page.